28 



the rivers, and will be noticed under our Freshwater Fishes. 

 Both are rich and good-flavoured food-fishes. 



SCOPELID^. 



This family affords us but three species, one only being 

 worthy of mention ; the others, of the genera Saitriis and 

 Smirida, must be looked upon as comparatively scarce 

 fish. The "Sergeant Baker," Atdopns piirpiirissatus, is 

 the species usually found in the market, and by some con- 

 sidered a delicacy. In taste and grain the flesh resembles 

 the English whiting, but has a much better flavour, if the 

 latter can be said to have any flavour at all. It attains the 

 length of 1 8 inches, and is a highly coloured and beauti- 

 fully marked fish, of a deep red hue ; the fins opalescent 

 and strongly marked with deep red spots and blotches ; 

 the flesh is white, large in grain, and rather dry. It is 

 occasionally taken in the seine, but more often in deep 

 water with the hook and line. 



SCOMBRESOCID.-E. 



Five or six species of this family frequent the harbour of 

 Port Jackson and coast-line of New South Wales, but 

 only three of them deserve notice. The most common are 

 the two species of gar-fish — HeniirJiamphus intermedins 

 (the sea gar-fish), and H. regular is (known as the river 

 gar-fish). The former (//. interinediiis) comes in from the 

 sea in immense shoals, is a universal favourite with all 

 classes ; no breakfast table should be furnished without it. 

 The other, H. regularis, is similar in every respect, but by 

 some considered the better fish. The flesh of both, before 

 cooking, is semitransparent, with a silver stripe along the 

 lateral line ; when cooked it is as white as snow, and of the 



